Away into Infinity
by Voyager Wisp
Summary: A former hopeful for the title seeks out a current god.


Note: Originally written for Yuletide2019/steelneko on ao3.

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"What have you learned about the situation, Servo? Oh, I'm sorry." The man adjusted himself in his chair, leaning forward to the illumination of the screen. "You go by something _different_, don't you?"

"Gridman," the digital entity on screen clarified.

"Right, Gridman. Catchy name, by the way. Almost _cute_. But back to the subject at hand, is this something we should really be concerned about?"

"Of course. Alexis Kerib shouldn't be underestimated. Perhaps it's not directly affecting your world for now, but I wouldn't leave him alone, especially with a human to feed off of. It could affect my dimension, and eventually yours."

The man pursed him lips, nodding slowly. Any sort of being similar to Kilokahn should be dealt with right away. There was also Kerib's current target to consider. Being used while thinking it was everything he really wanted was something Malcolm had personally been through. "If he isn't sending mega-virus monsters- I'm sorry, kaiju out to attack the real world, it's rather difficult to deal with, isn't it? Clever of this Alexis Kerib to go the closed world route."

"I'm still dealing with the complexities. In the meantime, I'd like your help, if you're willing."

"Me?" The man sat up straighter, then leaned over his fist. "As much as I'd like to, I don't think my skill set is going to be helpful in this case. Perhaps you should try a different person to help you, Gridman."

"You're someone who already understands the situation. I can send you in to the virtual setting to take a look for me, since there's no one there for me to merge with."

"No humans, right." Malcolm shrugged. The next thing might be for Gridman to ask to merge with him, but he wasn't quite sure he'd be up for that. Checking was fine. It would appease his own curiosity as well. "I'm ready. Send me in whenever you'd like."

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The appearance of the virtual world surprised. Since technology of humans - and apparently other dimensional immortal evil warlords - had evolved so much, he'd been expecting something hyper-realistic. But this world looked like a cartoon. Finding a mirror, Malcolm took time to observe his own appearance as he found a mirror, and stepped back. He was an anime character, dressed in black as he often did, the grey hairs and other signs of ageing gone.

Given that, his role in what looked like a Japanese school may not be teacher, but student. Malcolm took some time to walk around, hoping it wouldn't be too long before he found the only other human in this world. "Hey, Malcolm," a student greeted him.

"Oh, hello," Malcolm said, trying his best to sound polite.

"Are you ready? I can show you around."

"Please do, thank you," he replied.

As Malcolm was shown typical area in the school, he met many other students, being introduced and having short conversations with them as a "transfer student. Eventually, as they walked outside, a girl stopped, turning around and taking special notice of them. "Wait," she said, a confused expression on her face. "Who's he?"

"Malcolm. He's a transfer student... Where are you from?"

Before Malcolm could think of how he'd answer, a wide smile appeared on the girl's face. "Transfer student? Is that right? Well, I should be the one to take care of him then."

"Oh? Well, if you say so, Shinjou-san. Of course."

Malcolm's current guide walked away. In fact, most students around were standing up, absent mindedly wandering out of their sight. Observing first the students around, and then the girl smiling in front of him, Malcolm couldn't help but notice something different about her. Of course, there was the unnatural hair color. Wasn't that a typical sign of a main character? She could be an important actor, perhaps the created love interest of the human he was looking for.

"What was your name again?" the girl asked.

"Malcolm Frink. And I don't believe you've introduced yourself."

"Shinjou Akane."

"Charmed," Malcolm said, holding out his hand.

Akane smirked as she refused it. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you? Especially as a foreigner?"

"Excuse me?" Malcolm said, putting his hand up to his chin.

"Your Japanese is so good! But your ability to hide? Not so much."

"So you're the one I'm looking for," Malcolm said. Though he hadn't expected this, a young female could be drawn in just as much as his own younger self by this kind of thing. "Miss Akane, is it?"

"That's right. I see you modified one of my creations to suit your needs. Are you a rival god for my world?"

Did he really understand the word correctly in this context? Thinking further, it really did fit. "So you're the god of this place, are you?" Malcolm said, looking outside, seeing the outline of some very large creatures in the distance.

"That's right!" Akane confirmed cheerfully. "What else could I be? I've been allowed to create everything here!" She held out her hand, waving them in a circle.

"Impressive. Well, I've come as nothing but an observer, a visitor, let's say," Malcolm said. "So you created everything, including those kaiju out there?"

"I did. Who else could have?"

"Certainly not whoever's brought you here. I met someone from his dimension. They aren't very creative." Malcolm giggled as he recalled it.

Akane laughed along with him. "Don't pick on Alexis that much! He's really very nice."

"Nice. Really." Malcolm paused. "Well, what will you do with this world you've created, now that you're a god?"

"Attack the city with some kaiju, maybe?" Akane winked as she spoke.

"Ooo!" Malcolm clapped his hands together with excitement as he thought of the possibilities for simulation of personal creations. "That does sound fun. When I created my own monsters, I could only attack a digital domain. Same old, same old, destroying circuitry over and over. It was flashy, but it got tiresome. How interesting it would be to really destroy a city, like in a movie."

"You get it, huh! I thought you might be like me. It'll be great. I can have them smash," Akane stomped. "And blow out attacks, like a fire, devastate the buildings, people running around like ants. Ahh!" Akane imitated the cry before she relaxed, sitting down on a bench nearby. "But really, it's not just that. I can do anything I want, with everyone here. Besides you, people are here just to do what I say. They all really admire me."

Hearing Akane's words, unwanted memories arose. A frustrated boy, sitting and scribbling pictures of monsters while whining to an amnesic malevolent creature, imagining that was the way for him to gain the love and acceptance he really wanted, in his peers, in the world. If only he could warp it to his liking by borrowing that unnatural power, he'd be satisfied somehow. "Is it really that satisfying?" he asked.

"A giant kaiju? I haven't tried it yet. If you're nice, maybe I'll let you stick around and see." She took out an unfinished model from her bag, holding it out to show him.

Malcolm took it, observing her skillful work. "We both know _that_ will be glee for all ages. But you're here for good, or so you imagine, correct?" Malcolm said.

"Well, yeah. You want a world like this one? Are you here to learn from me or something?" Akane asked.

Malcolm shook his head. "Like I said, I've done much similar already. I'm actually here in place of someone who imagines they can save you."

Even in the animated form, Malcolm could easily see Akane's dubious response. "Who's talking about that?" she said.

Malcolm shrugged, smiling himself at Akane. "It doesn't matter. I can tell you don't want him to. Or do you?"

"There's nothing to save. I'm fine here."

"Are you?" Malcolm said, unable to mask his tone and hide his disbelief. "As you say, it's everything you want here. All the control you could desire. But in the end, it's just you, isn't it? You couldn't get what you wanted from the unaltered reality, so you come here and borrow the power of Kilo- Alexis Kerib, and build up your authoritarian world from scratch. The fulfillment you expect, it doesn't come. It's still, well, unsettling hollow, though you try and ignore it."

Turning back to the young god, Malcolm saw her face had fallen, looking at the ground. He'd pushed too far. Having lived through something similar, he'd just wanted to give her a shortcut to the realizations he'd eventually come to.

There were no shortcuts. "I think you need to leave now," Akane said.

Malcolm tried to pause and think before he spoke this time. "I bombarded you with too much, didn't I? Maybe if I try to simplify things."

"No." As he spoke and looked up, the word around Malcolm seemed to start to fade, revealing a sort of circuitry underneath. "I know what you're talking about, Malcolm. But you see," Akane paused, clenching her jaw as her mouth widened in a very unconvincing smile. "The world I left has zero fulfillment. So even if here rates low too, I'm still having fun. It's still much better, it'll be good enough. I'll find what I can my own way. If you couldn't, that's your own problem."

The surroundings had faded to black now, only Akane was visible. "So you won't let me see your kaiju destroy the city?" Malcolm asked, a final statement as he was certainly about to be banned.

"It would be boring for you, unfulfilling, right?" Akane said.

"Not at all. I meant what I said, it would be a grand time. Do you want to think no other human could enjoy your company?"

"I've given up on theirs. I don't need them anymore."

The cheerful face unfitting of the bleak statement eventually faded out.

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Malcolm groaned as he sat up from in front of the computer, then yawned. "What did you see?" Gridman asked.

"It's a replica of the real world, except the kaiju can attack it like the digital world."

Gridman nodded onscreen, apparently understanding the basic idea. "Did you make any progress?"

"Not my job to save the day, I'm not the weapon-toting sheriff of the digital world," Malcolm said, then turned back to the hero, who stared at him patiently despite his flippant statement. He sighed, deciding to give some kind of serious statement. "The city was full of replicompoids. I'm not sure they were aware that's what they are. I don't know how your whole thing works, but could you merge with one of them?"

"I'll have to try."

"And I'll have to sleep," Malcolm said, then gave the very familiar hero one more look before he went to the turn off the machine. "Good luck. I hope she eventually wants your help."


End file.
